BQ Patterns

This again relies purely on CSS3 with different classes for each blockquote. The last of the 3 has the footer element to cite the quote source. It’s an optional feature that some people like, certainly not necessary for a simple website though.

It goes to show how much you can achieve with unique fonts and some minor CSS tweaks.

Notepaper

It might be hard to believe but this notepaper blockquote is created entirely with CSS3 code. No background images, no vectors, just CSS gradients and transforms.

I can’t say how many people would find this design useful. It’s a fantastic notecard that really does replicate the style of paper. But regardless of how it can be used, this design is beyond incredible and it proves how far CSS has come.

The HTML is fully semantic with modern blockquotes and this should work in all modern browsers. A magical use of web technology if I’ve ever seen it.

Classy Blockquotes

Sometimes it makes sense to include a photo of the person being quoted. This may sound tough but you can clone these blockquotes by Andrew Wright to get this effect on your site.

Andrew’s pen uses placeholders for images so they do look a little… basic. But there’s nothing to stop you from changing some colors, updating the fonts, and adding a photo to spice up your quotes.

A very simple design and pretty easy to restyle on your own.

Simple Block

This is by far my favorite blockquote because it really can work on any website. Developer Harm Putman uses the cite attribute from the blockquote to populate a citation at the bottom.

I really like the dividing bars that clearly separate the blockquote from the rest of the content. This includes a small quotation mark icon fixed in the middle to let the user know this is a clearly a quote.

Sleek, elegant, and simple. Three traits that work well in any website.

Material Design Blockquote

The background icon is what really makes this stand out and feel like a true blockquote. I do think the font color is a tad light, but this can always be adjusted for use in your own website.

This is the coolest material-style blockquote you’ll find and it’s totally free.

All of these blockquote styles are fantastic but certainly not the only ones. You can find many more online with lots of variety to pick from. So if you’re looking to browse more check out the blockquote tag on CodePen to see what else is out there.

Written by Jake Rocheleau

Jake Rocheleau is a passionate web designer and social media entrepreneur. He is frequently researching the latest trends in digital design and new-age Internet ideas. He's also an advocate for the social media revolution - follow his updates on Twitter @jakerocheleau.